Muze Information Kiosks Take On Books

When Muze for Books, an interactive catalog reference system, was released recently, bookstores and multi-media stores entered the 21st century.Through a licensing agreement, the source of book information -- Bowker's Books in Print -- can now be easily and readily accessed by consumers, not just librarians or store clerks. The third product from Muze Inc., New York, Muze for Books is an interactive, touch-to-start system.Muze is not only a catalog reference system, but also a sales tool. In addition to helping serve customers' curiosity, Muze can tell a customer if a certain book is in stock and if not, order it.Customers can browse through areas of interest or actively search for a long-sought book through the more than 1.3 million stored titles. Primary search options include: title, author, illustrator, subject, time period, location, theme and genre. The advance search options include key words in the title, format, top sellers, publishers and price. Beyond a listing of books in print, Muze information includes book covers, notes, citations and reviews from sources such as Time, Publishers' Weekly, Forbes and The New York Times Book Review.Books' predecessor, Muze for Music, was launched by Paul Zullo (the former producer of radio's King Biscuit Flour Hour) and Trev Huxley (grandson of author Aldous Huxley) in 1991.Their second product, Muze for Video, hit stores at the end of 1995. Originally the product was to be called Vuze, but that left a question about what to name the anticipated books version: Buze? Somehow, not. In the end, it was decided to go with Muze for all three versions of the interactive catalog reference system. As megastores continue to mix product offerings across categories, some stores are beginning to carry all three versions.By the end of the year, Zullo anticipates finding homes for Muze for Books in "hundreds of major bookstores." If Muze for Books goes over well, the company may expand its database to include CD-ROM and software titles.The Muze systems run on a 2 gigabyte hard drive powered by an Intel Pentium processor. EloTouchSystems Inc., Oak Ridge, Tenn., supplies the full-color touchscreens for the books and video versions.The KioskDesigned to be functional and cost effective above all else, the Muze kiosk is supplied by Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Gibco. The standard floorstand measures 20 inches wide by 63 inches high by 24 inches deep, with optional rollers.The larger-than-usual footprint provides extra stability, which is important since customers typically lean on the kiosks while using the system. Various plastic laminates can be used for the kiosk, allowing for a wide range of colors, textures and patterns to match store fixturing or design."It's been built into counters and on top of counters in a Lazy Susan set up. It's very adaptable," says Zullo. "Most people opt for the kiosk, though, because it's easier. It just arrives, it gets plugged in and it doesn't take up much space. A preponderance of our customers are big box [stores] anyway."The book kiosk includes two speakers for inclusion of books-on-tape sampling. A 5-inch-by-20-inch backlit sign illuminates the top of the kiosk. In the front, lockable upper and lower doors provide access; a removable panel in the back enables loading and wiring access. The printer platform slides out for paper replenishment.Depending on traffic, the systems should remain in place, with only occasional replacement of parts, for about five years."Quite a bit of design effort went into the kiosk to make sure functionality was maximized," says Zullo. "Frankly, it ain't sculpture, but it presents the screen at the right height, the right angle, and the printer placement is handier than most."Facilitating PlacementMuze is available for sale or lease. Customers also have the option of supplying their own hardware. More complete units are sold than are leased, according to Zullo. The book system with kiosk sells for $7,000; monthly updates total $1,750 per year. The video and music versions sell for $6,000; updates run $1,200 annually. "Muze for Books is a little more expensive because it is a huge database, and requires a little more powerful PC," explains Zullo.With the introduction of its new book version, Muze has begun soliciting advertising to run on the system. "We're doing a couple of pilot programs where we share the revenue with the retailer," says Zullo. "After all, they bought these systems, they pay the license fees, it's their real estate and their customers. We never sought advertising to be a core revenue for us, so we will give the meaningful share [of ad revenues] to the retailer."So far, the plan is to invite companies such as American Express or hotel chains to support the travel book section, rather than to seek out book publishers for potential advertising, he says.

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